White Dove's Legacy
by Silver Star Dragon
Summary: Discontinued on this Account. Will Redo on Storyteller's Dream.
1. The Meeting in the Dark

**Author:** Silver Star Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Pairings:**

**Main:** Hinata/Gaara

**Past:** Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

**Secondary: **Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

**Rating:** PG-13 (May go higher)

**Timeline:** Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

Most nights in Konoha are peaceful. People sleep unworried in their beds as Jonin and ANBU patrol the walls, streets, and roofs. Those who were not asleep or on patrol or missions, were enjoying a stroll under a beautiful sky. There was no moon out, just plenty of stars and a light breeze scented with cherry blossoms.

He appeared to be just another ninja or civilian out enjoying a stroll when in truth he was going to meet someone. If anyone found out he would have to explain why he was visiting them and that could cause problems. Not something he wanted to do. He nodded to senbon-user Genma Shiranui, who returned it still chewing on his metal stick. He may be a Clan Lord, but he still had to be polite.

As he turned down one street, he checked the Yamanka Flower Shop. Or at least the windows above it. He knew that that the Yamankas were all home from their missions and were all gossips. He needed to take care around them. Looking up, he actives his Byakugan to check where everyone was at. He could tell that the two elder Yamankas were in their bed, asleep. The daughter though, Ino was still up. She wasn't looking out the window, rather she was writing something by candlelight.

"You know, what a person does on their own time his their own business. Being a personal fan of keeping my business private and knowing that you are to, you should respect that she doesn't want anyone to know what she's doing. So don't stare." Hiashi Hyuga deactivates his Byakugan before turning around to address the woman in the shadows.

"I want no one to see me coming or going to see your Clan, Mai-san." Mai Kuraku, Clan Leader of the Kuraku Clan walked out of the shadows to stand before him. She was wrapped in a heavy black cloak, carefully wrapped so that nothing was reveled save her glowing blue eyes.

"Indeed Hiashi-san. Whatever could bring you out here to visit me?"

"I wish to speak to you of Hinata, my daughter and Hyuga Clan Heir."

"I am well aware of Hikaru's daughter. And seeing how this is the first time you have willingly or unwillingly sought me out, I assume this is of great importance?" Hiashi's jaw clenched tight at the casual mention of his dead wife's name. If Mai noticed, she gave no sign merely walking away to the shadows and going up the street. Hiashi waited a bit, wanting to the Cursed woman to get a little ways ahead of him. He saw a shooting star above him and thought of the one he had let down.

"I'm sorry, Hikaru. I can't be the father that Hinata needs."

In spite of the Kuraku Clans nicknames, such as the Dark Clan or the Cursed Clan. their home was rather light and cheerful. The Kuraku were very wealthy and could afford the best of everything, though their home was modest by nature. The symbol for the Clan was a blue and silver knot against a black moon. It was on their clothes, and displayed in key areas around the house.

Still it surprised Hiashi that the Compound was so well lit on this night of nights. The nights that there was no moon, the ladies of the Kuraku blood became the stuff of nightmares and no one could look at one of them directly unless they truly did love them. And to even glimpse them in the light made it that much worse They were not in favor with the Godaime, the fifth Hokage, and were subject to go on very high-ranking missions and solo missions to get away from her.

Mai lead him to her office which was lit by a single candle. The candle was no doubt for him, since Mai had perfect eyesight in the dark. As he sat down another member of the Clan appeared with a tray of tea and some pastries. He figured out who it was after she had set down the tray and left.

"Was that not Timoko? Your oldest?" Hiashi asked as he accepted a cup of tea.

"Indeed. Timoko is an ANBU wolf. Other than Tsukiko, she is the last. Itachi Uchiha left his mask to Timoko."

"Must make you proud. All six of your strong daughters becoming ANBU." Hiashi took a sip of his tea. Jasmine green tea, harvested from the gardens of the Kuraku compound. Hikaru would drink this tea everyday, even the day she died. After her burial, Hiashi had removed all traces of her from the Hyuga Compound. Well, all but one.

"Do you remember our days as Genin?" Mai asked suddenly. "Do you remember our sensei, Kenji? I remember how we used to train hard and get missions that no Genin team at the time had ever seen."

"Yes," Hiashi felt his lips twitch at various memories. "I remember how you and Mamoru used to get my help in playing pranks on the Sadaime as well. I'm sorry about Mamoru's death. And about Moriko's."

"Mamoru never got to see his last five children come into this world. Nor did my mother. But my sister did and that matters to me. I grieve for her a great deal. And I am sorry for your loss." Mai had set her cup down.

"I tried to find her murderer, Mai. Oh how I tried, but-"

"You didn't and still don't have the resources to I have. I could have helped you know."

"It's an inter-Clan thing and fifteen years buried. I need something from you Mai. As a Clan Lord, teammate, and father. It's about Hinata. I need to know if you'll honor everything in the contract."

"Of course I will."

"Then I am going to disown Hinata and give her to you."

Author's Note: I promise that there will be more to this and it will start to make some sense. Please bear with me.

It's hard to describe the girls of the Kuraku Clan. But if you think about the ship-wrecked crew from the movie FOG or from Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, you basically have them in a nutshell. Only they don't assume this form all the time. Just on nights of the new moon or at will. Every time they use their bloodline trait, it gets worse. Sometimes if they use it too much, they transform into their 'Cursed' form.


	2. The Contract

**Author:** Silver Star Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Pairings:**

**Main:** Hinata/Gaara

**Past:** Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

**Secondary: **Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

**Rating:** PG-13 (May go higher)

**Timeline:** Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

Mai Kuraku stared silently at the white-eyed Clan Lord across from her. Hiashi had been her teammate and had fallen in love with her adopted sister. Knowing how much they loved one another and everything that was involved, Mai had gone thru a great deal of trouble to help her mother and Hiashi's mother, the Lady of the Hyuga get a contract signed by the Lord of the Hyuga Clan, Hiashi's father and her own mother, the Leader of the Kuraku Clan.

Now, after all these years she was being asked to act on the contract and take Hinata. She'd have done it earlier if Hikaru had not made her promised not to unless Hiashi came to her. And it wasn't like she hadn't done it before. But the Hyuga contract was different. It required a little more work on her part. It was times like these that she wished her mother was still alive to handle. Getting up, she went to some bookshelves and started to put out scrolls, looking for the marriage contract.

"Before I go and do this, I must ask the reasons that you are giving her to me. If I am going to go thru this trouble I want reasons." She pulled out a scroll and looked at it before putting it up and picking another.

"Must I give you a reason?" Mai pulled another scroll out.

"Yes, but the rules set up between your father and my mother, you have to give me three. Each has to be better than the last one. I remember that part."

"Very well. Reason one: Hinata is too weak to lead the Hyuga Clan. She is just too soft and gentle. She can not even defend herself against her sister. Reason two: Hinata has feelings for the Kazekage of Suna and I know that he has the same. I've seen them together and I feel that they complete one another. If she is Clan Leader, they cannot marry. I know how I have treated Hinata and in truth I am ashamed of it. I want her to be happy."

"How very noble of you. Your reason one is weak. Hinata is stronger than you think. She takes after her mother, so she's a great model of common sense. Reason two has more merit, but like I said, how very noble of you. And here I thought I would be hearing of a marriage between Hinata and Neji. Thank god you aren't." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Reason three?"

"I can't protect Hinata from the one who murdered her mother. I have found traps; Neji has found traps that we know Hinata would not have seen since her Byakugan is weak." Mai was either shocked or she had found the scroll because she stopped looking.

"Mai, like I have said, I have done things to Hinata in the past to make her stronger and have only ended up hurting her. I know that Hisa and Hanabi care little for her and I know that they start fights with her that she can not win. Letting her go, giving her to you to protect and train is the only way I can save her."

Mai sat down with a scroll. Unrolling it, she held the marriage contract between the Kuraku and the Hyuga.

"Once you do this, there can be no going back. The Hokage may not interfere. You will give me Hinata FREE of the Caged Bird Seal. I know that the Main Branch uses it to keep the Secondary Branch in line and I will not have it on her. She will never be controlled. She comes with the things that she has bought, things giving to her by either her friends or by Neji, and her mother's things. She may marry whoever it pleases her to, and the Hyuga Clan may never interfere. If she has children, you will contact me to see them if it pleases you. I can not stress this enough. She will belong to the Kuraku Clan and the Hyuga Clan can never, EVER interfere with her life again. Now are you sure?"

"Yes." Hiashi signed the contract. This time it was to obey the cause in the contract. Mai signed it as well before calling a daughter in.

"Hazuki, go take this to the Council members. Tell them to please sign and keep a copy." Hazuki nodded and left with a bounce that made her gold hair float in the wind. It would be done. Mai looked at Hiashi, penning him with a hard stare.

"Who will lead, once you become fodder for the worms?" Mai had a good feeling she knew who.

"Hanabi, naturally. As my daughter by Hisa, she's full-blooded Hyuga. In truth, I don't want her to lead. She is selfish and uncaring. Wanting only for herself. Same as Hisa."

"Hiashi have attempts been made on Hinata? Ones that you haven't taken care of?"

"Yes, that is why I assigned Neji to be her bodyguard." 

"How about Hanabi?"

"No, none. But she is the second daughter." Mai waved that away.

"We are ninja. You know that makes little difference."

"She is a better ninja than Hinata. Her Byakugan is stronger."

"Hiashi, please. Don't play stupid. It's annoying. If the Heir is gone then the Second becomes Heir and then-"

"No, do not speak of it!" Hiashi's eyes blazed almost as brightly as Mai's cool blue. "I refuse to believe that anyone in the Hyuga Clan would sink so low."

"And yet one Lady Hyuga rots in her grave and her daughter returned to her Clan. But if you'd rather play blind than who am I to stop you? Tell me though, when will you tell Hinata?"

"There is a Council meeting two days from now. I know that the Elders will be pushing for me to disown her then. One month after that, the Ceremony of Heir will take place to appoint Hanabi as the next Clan Leader. I suppose you'll be there?"

"As Clan Leader I can do no less. As Hinata's godmother that she had never seen, you bet your ass I will be there for her. In two months I will hold a ceremony making Hinata my seventh daughter and releasing to her, her mother's holdings. We will open up the House of the White Dove; Hinata will be considered the White Dove's legacy and given the contract for them."

"I will not say this in two days Mai, nor will I probably ever say it again but, thank you. And at the same time, damn you."

"You're welcome. I'll do a good job of raising her spirits. Better than you. I don't need for her to get stronger. She's stronger than you think. Good night Lord Hiashi. I hope you can sleep with what you've done to her. And damn you too." Hiashi stood and left.

From the shadows to Mai's left Timoko appeared. Her glowing red eyes seem to hold everything hostage.

"So... he's giving up Hinata? Or giving up on her?" Timoko asked her eyes starting to blink every so now and again.

"You should know you've been standing there the whole time." Mai scolded her oldest who was looking sheepish. "However, that was a good idea using a clone to bring tea."

"So what do you think though?" Hazuki appeared out of the shadows on Mai's right.

"I think we should prepare Hikaru's wing for the arrival of her daughter. And I want to open an investigation into the death of Hikaru and see who's attacking Hinata."

"The Hokage won't help us. She doesn't like us." Timoko looked deep into the flame of the candle.

"The other Clans will. The Council will force the Hokage if need be. The Hokage holds it against us that Moriko brought Dan in from the battlefield in her Cursed form. She couldn't save Dan and she's blamed us as much as the enemy." Mai looked at Hazuki who was starting to gain flesh as dawn was approaching. "Wake the rest of the Moons. Start cleaning the rooms. I am going to see the other Clans and the Council."

"Yes mother." Timoko blew out the candle leaving the room in total darkness.


	3. The Council Meeting

**Author:** Silver Star Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Pairings:**

**Main:** Hinata/Gaara

**Past:** Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

**Secondary: **Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

**Rating:** PG-13 (May go higher)

**Timeline:** Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

If you ask anyone who Hinata looked like the most, they would say she looks exactly like her mother. If you asked who she took after the most, they would say her mother. Hinata was her mother's daughter. She had inherited much of her looks, from her waist length purple hair to her curves and height. Just like her mother though, she suffered as a Hyuga Clan member.

Today however was a day that she dreaded. It was the day of the formal Hyuga Council meeting. She was dressed her in her mother's favorite formal kimono. It was lavender silk with silver and white doves flying over an ocean blue hem. A very rich golden obi held the kimono closed with soft lavender socks. She had put her hair up using a silver clip shaped like a dove. She wore her mother's silver locket with a gold dove around her neck. She wanted to feel safe because she knew she wasn't. This meeting was about her. She was being judged.

Standing outside of the Council meeting room, was her cousin and her sister. Neji wore a dark red kimono with blue dots sprinkled everywhere and a black obi to hold it closed. His coffee-colored hair was loose and he wore a bandage over his Caged Bird Seal. Hanabi wore a deep purple kimono with silver dots. Her deep green obi had slashes of silver going all thru it. Her hair was loose as well. If anyone was noticing, as Neji was, she was glaring daggers into Hinata's back.

"I can't wait for this meeting to end." _Mostly because I know the outcome._ Hinata thought smugly.

"You should be silent Hanabi," Neji snapped. He knew that something wasn't right. Hanabi gave him a dirty look. She was about to make him suffer horribly, when a servant opened the doors to the Council chamber. Was it Hinata's imagination, or the servant send her a sad look. She was not stupid. This would not end.

Hinata stood in front of a semi-circle of Clan members. Her father, being Lord of the Hyuga Clan sat in the middle. His face was stern and unreadable. To his right, sat his second wife and Hanabi's mother, Hisa. She had a look of triumph on her face. Hanabi was ordered to sit in on the left side. The left side of Hiashi was reserved for the Heir. With Hanabi there, told her everything that she needed to know.

"Lady Hinata, daughter of Lord Hiashi and Hikaru Kuraku," Yuuma, Elder and Hisa's father began. Hinata noted that her father's eyes tightened when Yuuma did not call her mother 'Lady'. "It has come to our attention that you have remained a Chunin while your younger sister, Hanabi is a Jonin. We can not and will not accept this. Therefore, you have been judged unfit to lead the Hyuga Clan."

"I-I und-understand." Hinata said softly.

"Look at you! Unable to stop this pathetic stuttering." Yuuma looked down at her, even though she was standing up.

"Since Hinata is no longer to be my Heir," Hiashi said quietly. "I will abide by the rules of the contract set down between the Hyuga Clan and the Kuraku Clan and will give Hinata to the Kuraku Clan. My wife, **Lady** Hikaru expressed orders to have her things and Hinata's personal possessions sent to the Kuraku Clan."

"I'm afraid sending Hinata is the Kuraku Clan is impossible." Yuuma said with gentle venom. "Hinata belongs to the Hyuga Clan, not that worthless Clan. If you, Lord Hiashi, had not married that girl this would not have happened. Hinata is to be put in the Secondary Branch with a seal and is now a servant." Hinata felt fear. Horrible, sickening, fear. Hisa and Hanabi both had a look of triumph. Neji was outraged. Hiashi looked silently pissed.

Was there no one to save her?

The doors were shoved in almost ripped off their hinges. Two ANBU wolves walked in, followed by Mai Kuraku, Shibi Aburame, and four of the six daughters.

"Excuse me, my Lords and Ladies, but I think you are intending to harm a member of my Clan," Mai's voice was silky soft, but there was a hint of cold and darkness. "Do not consider it further. Hinata belongs to the Kuraku Clan."

"HOW DARE YOU ENTER HERE?" Yuuma roared. The wolves stood on either side of Hinata and were protecting her.

"You forget yourself. I am here for my Clan."

"You have no Clan here, Mai." The room became very dark and very, very cold.

"We are not on intimate terms, Yuuma. You have forgotten yourself a great deal. I have the contract right here. It is signed and sealed with the Council's approval. If you go back, I'll make sure to ruin you." Mai glared around the room. She held Hiashi's gaze. Was he not Clan Lord?

"That contract is worthless." Hisa hissed. "You can not walk in here and inform us to give up this worthless child. Worthless as that contract."

"Silence." The word rolled off the tongue of one of the wolves. It was dark enough to caused Hisa to shut up quickly. "We were sent here under orders of the Hokage. She has ordered Hinata to be removed from Hyuga custody and placed into Kuraku custody."

"Lady Mai." Lord Hiashi stood up. It was time to take command of this meeting. "Take Hinata into your care. I, Hiashi Hyuga, Lord over the Hyuga Clan disown my daughter, Hinata and remove her from the rank of Clan Heir. She is hereby given to the Kuraku Clan as a ward of Mai Kuraku."

"Heard and witnessed." The wolves intoned. Shibi Aburame echoed them. Mai walked over to Hinata.

"Hinata? I am Mai Kuraku. Call me Mai, just Mai. I am your godmother. Now I want you to go to your room, get anything that either you have brought, was a gift, or belongs to your mother. My daughters Tukiyo and Hazuki will go with you to help you."

"B-but..." Hinata felt sick and weak.

"I understand that this is sudden. I will explain everything to you once we are safe. For now, please go." Hinata nodded and went to follow the two girls. She looked back at her father, only to see him stareing back coldly. Bowing her head she led the two girls away. She was dimly aware that they were all look-alikes.


	4. Hinata's Room

**Author:** Silver Star Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Pairings:**

**Main:** Hinata/Gaara

**Past:** Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

**Secondary: **Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

**Rating:** PG-13 (May go higher)

**Timeline:** Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

The walk to Hinata's room was very quiet and strained. Hinata couldn't figure everything out. She was in shock. Every time she thought she had something, it just went up in smoke. In the haze that was her shock, she couldn't hear the girls talking to her for a few minutes before Hazuki, or was it Tukiyo touched her lightly on the arm.

"Hinata-san? Are you with us? Are we at your room?" Hinata looked at the solid oak door that lead into what had amounted to her private, safe place.

"Y-y-ees, Ha-Hazuki-sa-sama. Th-this is my ro-om, or wa-walk used to be my ro-om." Both girls smiled gently. Apparently, Hinata had stumbled on something of a joke to them. But how do you tell blond, blue-eyed twins or whatever they were apart?

"I am Tukiyo, Hinata. Not Tukiyo-sama. We of the Kuraku Clan rarely use honorifics. Even so, I am hardly a 'sama'. Don't be embarrassed. I am called Hazuki all the time. It's the curse of being a quintuplet. We wear kimonos with at least one color difference, though black is a predominant color to tell us apart. The only one we aren't confused with is Timoko, she's the first born." Tukiyo said. Tukiyo's kimono had silver streaks that reminded Hinata of tiger strips while the obi a bronze color. Hazuki who was standing by the door wore a kimono that looked like someone had splashed black and blue paint on a canvas with a purple obi. Hazuki, taking a nod from Tukiyo, opened the door and let everyone in.

"I-I am ju-ust Hinata, th-hen." Hinata looked around her room. It was hard; she didn't know what to do. She didn't have much, her father didn't believe in gifts so anything that she had was given to her by her friends and Neji. She failed to notice the tightening around their eyes. Whatever they were thinking, it wasn't friendly.

"Hinata, where are most of your mother's things kept?" The one she now knew to be Hazuki asked.

"Hi-isa orde-ered her cloth-othes put away or burned." Did Hazuki's eyes just glow? "My fa-father refused t-to let her we-ear th-them so sh-she or-ordered th-them to b-be p-put aw-away or dest-stroyed." Hazuki looked at Tukiyo.

"I'm gonna _look_ for those clothes. I might not walk back with you depending on how long the search."

"You could call Yuzuki." Tukiyo responded.

"And I could stuff you in a bag." Hazuki joked.

"Meanie." Hazuki left after patting Hinata on the shoulder.

"Wh-where i-ss sh-he go-oing?" Hinata asked faintly.

"She's gonna look for your mother's things. Hisa has no right to order the destruction of your mother's things. Hikaru would be most displeased." Walking away from Hinata, Tukiyo muttered, "Mother is so going to be displeased." Together in silence they pulled all of Hinata's personal objects into soft, silky sacks. Outfits that Hinata had bought with money she earned from missions, pieces of jewelry that Shino or Kiba had given her for her birthday. How do you put a lifetime of memories, even bad memories in just a few sacks? There was a picture of her and Gaara, both in their formal outfits... what would Gaara think?

"Hinata." She turned to see another quintuplet; her kimono was very different from Hazuki's. White and black were abstract all over her kimono. The obi was also black and white. When she moved, Hinata found that she had to look away or be hypnotized by the pattern. "I am Yuzuki. If you are done I am here to help you with your sacks."

"You'd better not be taking anything that doesn't belong to you, _failure_." Hanabi sneered from the doorway. Both Yuzuki and Tukiyo seemed to be growing very chilly.

"I-I am n-ot ta-taking any-nythi-ing that doe-oesn't be-elong to me." Hinata murmured. Hanabi sneered.

"That kimono isn't yours." Hanabi went to grab the shoulder when Yuzuki's hand shot out and grabbed Hanabi's wrist, and squeezed. Hanabi may have been a better fighter, but she was no match for strength, which it seemed that Yuzuki had in spades. Hanabi found herself kneeling on the floor while Yuzuki's face had no emotion whatsoever.

"You are right, Hanabi. That kimono isn't hers. It's her mother's. With her mother dead, it now belongs to her. Do not ever think that you can touch Hinata. All of this, I feel, has your name on it somewhere. If I find out that you do have something to do with it, I'll be paying you another visit. Personally. Now see yourself out. And don't think for a second that when you tell someone that I will be punished." Yuzuki leaned closer to Hanabi. Whatever Hanabi saw in Yuzuki's eyes scared her. "You will be." Yuzuki let go of her and she raced out of the room.

"W-we, I am re-ready." Hinata could not believe what these women had done for her. Hanabi was never frightened, and yet Yuzuki had made her fear.

"Then we should go. Kiyo, call Hazzie." Yuzuki grabbed the sacks from Hinata. "I will carry those."

"Hazzie is outside with mom and the others. Shibi has gone ahead and went home. He has informed Shino of Hinata's change of address." Hinata's eyes widen. She did see Shino's father.

"Wha-what does he say?" Fear of what Shino might think what Kiba or anyone think... _Gaara, what will Gaara think?_

Yuzuki was quiet for a moment. "Shino comes over all the time to raid the fridge. He's happy for you. I think this is a moment, everyone is probably thinking 'finally'."

As they walked out of the compound, Hinata noticed that she didn't see anyone. In the courtyard stood the Kuraku Clan members and the ANBU. Hazuki was standing out with the others, only now she was wearing gloves. Mai looked over at Hinata.

"Do you have everything you need, Hinata?"

"Yes, Mai-san." Hinata said politely

"Just Mai, Hinata. I go only by Mai." Mai smiled. Hinata nodded. As they turned towards the gates, they felt a chakra signature behind them.

"Wait please." It was Neji. The group stopped. He walked up to Hinata, noting that as he did so, everyone tensed as if to protect her from him. Before they could stop him, he threw his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"I promise that every time I get a chance I'll come and visit." Neji pulled away enough to look into Hinata's white orbs. "I'm sorry that I couldn't have been a better cousin. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. But I know these Wolves. I know all of these girls, they're all ANBU. They'll do anything they can to protect you."

"Neji..." Hinata didn't know what to say. He pushed away and gave the ANBU Wolves a salute. They returned it and Mai took Hinata's arm, leading her away from the only home she knew. When Hinata looked back, Neji was gone.

Author's Note: I know that there is no sign of Gaara, but he's actually in the sixth chapter (in fact its all him).


	5. The Kuraku Compound

**Author:** Silver Star Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Pairings:**

**Main:** Hinata/Gaara

**Past:** Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

**Secondary: **Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

**Rating:** PG-13 (May go higher)

**Timeline:** Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

The Kuraku Compound was huge! Hinata had always thought that the Hyuga Compound was the largest, but it didn't hold a candle to this place. The Main House was made of stone and wood with white paint around the windows and trim around the roof. She could see flower gardens of many different flowers. The Compound was surrounding by a 10 foot tall wall with its gates guarded by 2 Lung dragons. Mai and her daughters had entered though Tukiyo and Hazuki were waiting for her.

"Uh, why don't you come on in? Whatca waiting on?" Hinata heard a male's voice, yet could not find the source.

"Hel-ello? Is so-ome-on-one the-ere?" Hazuki gave her a slightly amused look.

"Hinata, above you." Hinata looked up and noticed that the Lung dragons were not in the same position as before and were currently _moving_! The green dragon waved a clawed foot.

"Hi there, Lady Dove. I'm Dipper," He pointed a claw at the blue dragon on the other side of the gate that bowed its head, "That's Skipper. We're the Gate Guardians. A jutsu that works on statues. Normally, we wouldn't talk unless spoken to, but we thought we'd say hi." Hinata could feel more than a little shock. She was starting to feel dizzy.

"I think we broke her. Lady Dark Moon, uh help?" Skipper looked at Hazuki.

"Come on Hinata, why don't you lie down and when you feel up to it, you can look around." Hinata could only nod. Tukiyo took Hinata's hand and led her into the home. They went thru several hallways to come to a white door with a dove sitting on a knot. Tukiyo opened the door to a room colored in lavender and white. She led Hinata thru the first room into a second where a king size bed dressed in white and lavender sheets. She helped Hinata into the bed and removed her slippers for her before pulling a blanket off the foot of the bed.

"I-I fe-ell col-old." Hinata started to shake. With shock come the shakes. Tukiyo placed a hand on Hinata's arm. Hinata could feel chakra flowing into her. It was warm and yet there is something dark about it. Hinata felt herself falling into a deep sleep.

"Rest Hinata," the hand went away. "Sleep and be at peace."

Hazuki had remained with the dragons as Tukiyo led Hinata to her new room. She was quite angry at the Hyuga Clan. How dare they treat a member of the Kuraku Clan like dirt? How dare they kill a member! Hazuki's felt her jaw clench. The Hyuga dared because of their leader. Hiashi had abused his privilege of being a leader and a father. He should be protecting Hinata; she'd be the leader that he always wanted if he had protected her instead of beating the hell out of her.

"Dipper! Skipper! I have a name for you. Neji Hyuga. He is to be allowed to enter without many or any problems."

"Yes Dark Moon." Skipper resumed the guard position while Dipper lowered his head to speak again.

"Is there something else you want to tell us?"

"Hinata is to assume the position as the Clan's Dove." Dipper nodded. "There were attempts on Hinata's life in the Hyuga Household. I believe that it is the Hyuga Household that wants her dead."

"Then we will allow only the Hyuga Lord and Neji Hyuga to enter." Hazuki nodded. She looked at her home, her eyes glassed over.

"Momma's calling. There is a meeting."

Hisa Hyuga was pissed. _Mustn't frown. Creates wrinkles._ She smoothed her brown hair back and like a wave everything returned. She had everything in her grasp. Everything! Hinata was going to be sealed and made a servant to her and Hanabi, revenge that she always wanted, and it was taken from her by a simple piece of paper!

**Flashback to after Hinata left for her room.**

_"If you do not return Hinata to this Clan, we will take her. The Contract between the Hyuga and Kuraku if breached, gives me the right to take her by force." Mai announced._

_"You dare threaten us?" Hisa snarled. "We are all here and you only have a few-"_

_"You are dealing with the Kuraku Clan, don't think foolishly." Mai looked at the Elders "If you think the Hokage will help you, think again. Oath breakers don't get much help from the Council. In truth I thought better of you. You, who hold tradition, close. I never thought you would make me remind you I can force you."_

_"You high-up bitch!" Hisa hissed. She could feel Hiashi's gaze on her, but was too angry to care._

_"You are not in position to talk." Mai snapped._

_"Enough!" Hiashi stood and turned to Hisa. "You have what you wanted Hisa. Your daughter is Heir. Hinata belongs to the Kuraku now."_

_"We are one of the founding Clans; we do not cater to __**her Clan**__."_

_"I am here as a messager for the 2 other founding Clans." Shibi Aburame said coming forward. The third, the Uchiha, was not present in such matters, nor did they care to represent him anyway._

_"Since it is well known and documented the abuse that Hinata has suffered, we feel that she would be safer with her mother's family. Since she is a ninja of Konoha, we are enraged that you would treat her as such." Shibi's kikai beetles were making their buzzing noises loudly._

_"She is weak! A pathetic little half-breed." Elder Yuuma snarled._

_"So are you. You were in my mother's genin team. She told me your Byakugan is so weak it was like you were a tenth Hyuga." Yuuma actually flushed. "In fact, I do believe that Hinata's Byakugan is stronger than yours."_

_"So that's it, isn't it? You want the Byakugan. You're no better than an S-rank Missing-nin."_

_"That's not true and you __**know**__ why. I have never liked the Byakugan. You know that. What does the Byakugan see? It sees everything. If Hinata sees everything, she will know everything. Now why, truly why would I want the Byakugan to show me something I already know?" Mai shook her head. "This is pointless. Lord Hiashi, you've already given me Hinata. You said that you would not brand her, promised it. In one month, Hanabi becomes your Heir. In two months, I will hold a ceremony and Hinata will become my daughter. She will become the Kuraku Dove and will hold all of Hikaru's holdings. She won't need anyone. Let's just leave it at that."_

_"Those holdings belong to the Hyuga Clan!" Hisa shouted._

_"Wrong again. When Hikaru died, the certainty of those holdings becoming Hyuga holdings was shaken. When you gave Hinata up, those holdings become Hinata's." Hisa's rage was almost out-of-bounds. But when one of the daughters had spoken to Mai, she had informed them that it was time to leave. They had bided them a good day and left to collect Hinata._

**Back to present**

"I almost had that girl." Hisa paced her room with her daughter sitting on the bed. Hisa and Hiashi had never shared the same bed. He had always gone to her. Hikaru and Hiashi had shared the same bed. It stung her pride when she found that that he scrubbed himself raw after he left her bed. She had thought that after Hanabi was born, a full-blooded daughter that he would throw Hinata away and then she could have everything. But no, he merely stared at Hanabi and gave her a name.

"Mother, what about the ceremony? Can't we move it up?" Hanabi was referring to ceremony that would make her Heir. Even though her father had told the Clan that Hinata wasn't the Heir anymore, Hanabi still could not be considered Heir until the other Clans acknowledged it.

"Unfortately, your _father_ will not change his mind. Must not make it look like we were hoping for this."

"So Hinata can still be considered Clan Heir. She's only good to us dead." Hanabi failed to notice her mother's face. The look that could only be considered thoughtful. A knock on the door startled the look away as Yuuma, Clan Elder and Hisa's father entered.

"That fool! Hikaru must have done something for him to refuse to brand that simpering bitch. And here I thought that I had thought of everything-"

"Well old man it appears different." Hisa sneered.

"Don't speak to your father in that tone of voice." Yuuma said, taken aback.

"What if Hinata weren't alive?" Hanabi asked suddenly. She didn't care if they fought, but she'd like a good punch or two.

"Then you would be heir no questions asked... ah" Yuuma's face lit up. "It seems that Hanabi has not only your good looks but your brains as well. If we kill Hinata in the first month, we will get the holdings and certainly the title. If we kill Hinata in 2 months-"

"The holdings become ours." Hisa chuckled. "And my dear husband... we will have to reunite him with his _beloved_ Hikaru. Then the Hyuga Clan will be ours to purge out the useless and weak of every bloodline and rule the five ninja countries."

"Indeed. Perfect." No one knew who spoke there. No one cared.

Mai and her five daughters all met up in Mai's office. Timoko was looking at a picture of Mai and her team from when she was genin. Hiashi Hyuga was the same as always. Neji often reminded her of him. The same smirk and the same hair. Timoko couldn't remember a time when Neji's father was still around. Probably because he never came around, regret that he couldn't protect his teammate and sister-in-law from death. Mai had changed. Her once golden hair was turning silver-white, though her blue eyes were timeless. Mamoru, their father and Mai's teammate had been born with blond hair and blue-gray eyes. Timoko often wondered what her father might have looked like now if he was still alive. Their sensei, Kenji had died some years back from a poison that the Hokage could not cure, but then he was getting up there in years.

"Timoko." The oldest turned to her mother. "You are still a Wolf of the ANBU."

"I have... a place I need to go. A man I..." She wasn't sure why, but she was uncertain. She didn't want to tell her mother about him. About the man she loved.

"I understand. Do you want the others to take notes for you during this meeting?" The five quintuplets were sitting quietly waiting.

"No, mother. Let's begin." Mai nodded.

"The first matter of business is Hikaru's death. Shibi wants to help find her killer." Mai looked over at her second oldest quintuplet. "Did you sense anything, Mitzuki?" The quintuplet in a black with pink cherry blossoms and a brown obi nodded.

"Hate, fear, anger, disgust, and something else. Something that reminded me of secrets that should be kept locked away. Something that I only feel around those who speak of Orochimaru or the nin-tailed Fox."

"Mother Hikaru's killer was there the whole time! Someone in that room knows the truth!" Yuzuki slammed her fist into the black cherry wood desk.

"I agree she'd have to have been. Problem is that, while they didn't like her, she was still their lady."

"And why her? Why just her? Why not Hinata as well?" Timoko asked thoughtfully.

"Hmmm... there is another factor in this we haven't covered." Tsukiko, the eldest quintuplet brought up. "If Hiashi dies between now and 1 month, Hinata is still Heir. Just because he disowned her to his Clan, doesn't mean he disowned her to Konoha. But, if Hinata dies between now and 2 months, Hyuga Clan gets her holdings, and she's no longer a factor in the line for the Hyuga title."

"You're right, good thinking Tsukiko. Question is who knows all of this besides us?"

"Her Clan, the Council, and the Hokage."

"3 too many." Timoko said leaning against the wall. "So how do we protect her?"

"Gaara. Hinata and Gaara are best friends." Hazuki blurted out. Timoko raised an eyebrow.

"The Kazekage?"

"Do we know any other Gaara?"

"Rather not." Mai looked between her oldest and her youngest.

"What are you 2 talking about?" Mai asked. Mummers of "yeah fill us in" filtered in from around the room.

"Hinata and Gaara are the best of friends. Gaara sometimes comes to Konoha on a little mission, one that Temari could handle, just to see how she's doing. Its going to get to him that Hinata's been disowned. When he gets here, we can explain the situation and maybe he'd be willing to throw in his 2 cents worth of help in for a friend. And," Hazuki added cheerfully, "Everyone knows that they hold candle for one another."

"Yes, I see your plan. Okay, tomorrow, when you can, Hazuki talk to Gaara. Meanwhile, the rest of us are going to help Hinata settle in and let her friends know that she's here. We need to find out what she enjoys and what she doesn't. We are going to make her stay here as pleasant as possible. Understand?" Everyone nodded. "Timoko you are excused from helping us if you do not want to on the account that you have a side interest."

"How did you..." Timoko had been so careful.

"Honey, I've seen the way Genma has looked at you. I see the way he looks at you now. It's alright. I want you, as I want everyone to be happy." Timoko smiled and nodded. She strapped on her mask and then vanished out a dark corner. Mai looked at her remaining daughters.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"


	6. Gaara and the Main House

**Author:** Silver Star Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Pairings:**

**Main:** Hinata/Gaara

**Past:** Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

**Secondary: **Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

**Rating:** PG-13 (May go higher)

**Timeline:** Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

A cool breeze made the leaves move gently as he made his way silently thru the forest. It was cooler than was he was used to, but he didn't mind. It was too peaceful for him to care about the chill or about anything; and if anyone had asked him anything he might have answered. Or he might have incased them in sand and crushed them to death. He was after all, the fifth Kazekage of Suna, Gaara. He had been the container of Shukaku and was the wielder of the sand. A part of Shukaku stayed with him, but not enough for him to fear sleep or killing anyone.

There was one person that Gaara would talk to and one that he wished was with him right then. The Hyuga Heiress Hinata. She understood him better than anyone, even the nine-tailed demon fox container Naruto Uzumaki. He looked forward to meeting with her. In fact, this was a low level meeting, one under his attention, but he wanted to see Hinata and was caught up on his paperwork. There was nothing that Baki and Kankuro couldn't' handle.

Gaara could see in his mind's eye. The last time that he saw Hinata. Her eyes shining with laughter, joy, and something else. Fear. He frowned and stopped walking to just stand in a clearing. It always seemed that she suffered from some fear. Gaara never wanted to leave her because of her fear. Her fear was enough to anger him, to make him want to spill blood to protect her. He vowed to protect her.

Gaara felt several chakra signatures around him that snapped him out of his thoughts. Sand swirled around his legs as Temari jumped down off the branch above him. Several Konoha ANBU followed her. Gaara knew several of the chakra signatures and even had a one or two word description for them. Bull mask Shikamaru Temari's boyfriend, bug mask Shino Buggies, hummingbird mask Ino Shino's girlfriend, eagle mask Sai bastard, fox mask Kakashi Hatake pervert, and wolf mask Neji Hinata's cousin. Gaara could feel at least 3 more people above him, one he could remember from the time he first met Hinata, really met Hinata. All three it seemed, have been near Hinata because he could feel some of her chakra on them.

Gaara understood that the ANBU needed to be there and didn't mind. The sand began to float around searching for her, for Hinata. Temari however started talking... or ranting.

"Gaara, we thought something had happened to you." Temari put her hands on her hips. Gaara noticed that behind her, Shikamaru flinched. He was whipped.

"I was enjoying a nice stroll. I'm not needed in Konoha for another few days anyway. I remember some sister of mine saying I need to slow down and enjoy life. Who might that have been I wonder?" Gaara remarked actually taking a thinking pose. Temari blushed.

"Sorry Gaara, I just worry about you." The sand returned. It was confused. Hinata was not there, but the Wolf, the Raven, and the Fox, had been in recent contact with her.

"She's not here Gaara." Gaara cast his eyes to the speaker, Neji.

"Is she on a mission?" Gaara asked as neutral as he could. The thought of Hinata on a dangerous mission really made a part of him cry out for blood.

"She has been disowned from the Hyuga Clan." A bunch of masks turned towards the wolf. "She has been returned to her mother's Clan. I want you to go see her."

"You can't tell a Kage what to-" Temari snarled but was cut off by Gaara.

"Take me to her." Gaara said calmly as he fought to keep the rage down. "Now."

Above the group still in the branches, the Wolf, Raven, and Fox were perched listening to the conversation. Or rather, the Wolf was sitting on top of the branch and the Raven and Fox were sitting on the **underside** of it.

"Ah love. Can you hear it?" The Fox looked up at the Wolf.

"I hear rage. Cold, cold rage. Gaara is really pissed." The Wolf remarked.

"He is going to want to come to our home." The Raven remarked.

"Are the guardians going to let him in?" Wolf asked.

"Yes, the Tiger handled it." Raven stated. Wolf nodded.

"Let's go." The wolf vanished into a patch of shadows, the others joined her.

The sound of chirping birds awoke Hinata. She blinked sleepily as she sat up. The sun was bright and by its position it was around mid-morning. Her father never let her sleep this late, even when she was ill. _But I am not in my father's house. I am not a Hyuga anymore._ Hinata blinked back the tears that were begging to fall. So far it seemed that this Clan, her mother's Clan was very kind. But she knew that some things could be hidden behind masks of smiles. They could be just as cruel as the Hyuga, or could they?

"I guess it does me no good to just lie in bed. Maybe if I looked around a bit?" Hinata did not stutter when she was alone. She was never nervous with herself. She scooted to the side of the bed noting that it was of better quality than her own at the Hyuga Compound. The sheets were made of silk and the pillows were filled with goose down. Her feet touched the white carpet and sank in. Hinata looked at the walls and curtains around her. The walls were white with lavender trim with a darker shade of purple for the curtains. Tables and furnishings were all white with silver-lavender trim. These were her favorite colors. There were stuff animals and teddy bears in chairs.

One thing stopped her from truly exploring the area. There was a picture sitting on the desk under the window. She walked up and picked up the picture, studying it. There were 7 people in the photo taking it seems by a river. 2 were jonin; both seemed to be joking about something. Shibi Aburame and a blond haired man were with one man, her uncle, Neji's father, Hizashi. But it was the 2 people sitting under a tree that had her attention. She knew that the man was her father, but he was so happy. Far happier than she had ever seen. But the lady, she had royal purple hair with true violet eyes. She was laughing.

"That's your mother you know." Hinata whirled around to see Mai leaning against the door jam with a tray of food. She was dressed in jonin vest and uniform. But everything was black. Her silver hair was braided back in a long tail.

"I-I am sor-rry that I-I-"

"Hinata." Hinata stopped talking or stuttering. Mai set the tray on the table. "I am not your father. You were given a serious shock. It's only natural that you sleep it off." She spread out the plates of fruit and a cup of tea on the table. "Here eat, you need your strength. I will take you on a tour and then would like to discuss a few things with you." Hinata sat down in a white chair with lavender cushions as Mai walked to the closet and pulled out a kimono that was crystal white with its royal purple obi was wrapped around its hanger. A dove, done in silver white with lavender feathers perched above the heart. Mai chuckled.

"Your mother loved this kimono. Your father got it for her, even though she could have gotten it for herself." Mai looked over at Hinata who was chewing a piece of apple. "You may be surprised to know that your father was very much in love with your mother."

"You can't tell that now." Hinata mumbled. She was surprised that she calm and not stuttering.

"He's not the man I knew from my team." Mai settled into the other chair. "Hinata, because of your Byakugan, we need to lay down a rule about its use." Hinata's eyes rounded in fear.

"It's weak! I swear please don't brand me!" She put her hands up in defense, afraid that the wonderful dream had ended. Mai's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Hinata stop! I do not brand, I hate seals. I just have one rule with anyone who has a bloodline trait that has something to do with their eyes. DON'T USE IT ON US; DON'T LOOK AT US USING IT. I mean, don't active it on anyone bearing the name of Kuraku. I mean it. You don't want to see one of us with the Byakugan." Hinata lost a great deal of her fear to her confusion. Mai didn't want her to use her Byakugan around her or the family? In fact she seemed quite adamant about it.

"You don't want me to use my Byakugan. Why?"

"I don't want you to fear us. I want you to know that we would never harm you. But to look at us without understanding that we can not control our bloodline trait sometimes can harm a person." Before Hinata could say anymore Mai added brightly, "come now, let's get you changed and then a tour. Lord Gaara will be here shortly." She stood and trotted deeper into another room.

_Gaara..._ What would he think of her? Would he think less of her because she couldn't remain heir? Would he think her weak?

"Gaara doesn't think you're weak." Mai called from the other room.

"Are you a mind reader?" Hinata called back changing her kimono. She had never thought that she was her mother's size.

"No, but if I had suffered a shock like you and had a handsome boy like the Kazekage following me around with passion in his eyes, I think I'd be thinking the same things as you." Mai peeked her head around the door. "Actually, Timoko's got a boy and your actions mirror hers."

"Oh."

"Well if you're ready, we'll go for a walk." Mai trotted back into the room. Hinata could feel the cheerfulliness just bouncing off the older woman and smiled.

"I'm ready."

Mai showed Hinata every part of the Kuraku house. She got to see everything, including the bedrooms of the girls. Hinata was surprised that every question, no matter how personal was answered. The library stunned Hinata because of its size. It was huge. She swore that she would read every book, no matter how boring. She met several servants and Kuraku wards who all expressed delight in meeting Hinata. There were no talking statues, at least she didn't think there were until she entered the meeting room of the Kuraku and discovered that behind the chairs for the Main House, sat a statue of a dragon with silver and sapphire scales. Its glowing emerald eyes seemed to hold her in sway.

"Hinata, I would like for you to meet the statue made by the first of the Kuraku Clan, Sans sa Fe. It's said that the first of us, Rika, made a deal with the dragons to protect her children. This is a statue of that dragon. The dragons 2 hatchlings looked like Dipper and Skipper."

"Does this one move too?" Hinata could not help but shake as the dragon's massive head swung her way.

"Yes, but the jutsu that makes it do so is wearing away. I was going to renew it, but I think that if you're willing, in two months you can do it. As the Daughter of the White Dove. Yes, if you wish at your ceremony to bring you fully into the Kuraku Clan, you can claim your mother's place." Mai waved a hand at a chair that sat next to the Main House, at the right paw of the dragon. "Your mother was my right hand. If it's your wish, you may stand at the right hand of my heir."

"I'm horrible at jutsu. Even basic jutsu." Hinata said shaking her head.

"No, you were never trained correctly. Your mother, rest her soul was so bad at jutsu, we never let her do a fire jutsu around us." Mai grimaced.

"Why was that?"

"Ever heard the expression light a fire under your ass? Your mother did, literary. It was funny to watch several jonin run around with their pants on fire, but the Yondaime and Sadaime normally coughed and told us never to let her touch a fire jutsu scroll again. That's why your mother was a healer." Hinata perked up a little more even with the laughter hidden in her voice.

"She was a healer?"

"Oh gods yes. There were several times that I was the guinea pig for her jutsu." Mai smiled. "Now come, let me show you the garden."

To get the garden from the Main Council room, you had to pass thru a hallway of pictures. The sun shown brightly thru the windows as Mai and Hinata walked thru. Hinata noticed a picture of Mai with the blond haired man from the photo.

"Mai, who is that man there? I saw in a photo in my mother's room, but I don't know him."

"That photo in _your_ room is of my genin team and your mother's. The man in the picture is my dead husband, Mamoru Inuzuka. He died during saving his team on a mission. I was seven months pregnant with the quintuplets when he died. Itachi Uchiha's mother, Mikoto, brought me his body, her little boy watching with his newly active Sharingan. She was pregnant with her second son Sasuke."

"I'm sorry." Mai flashed a sad smile.

"It's alright. It was a long time ago. And revenge does at times help heal a broken soul." A sound startled them both and they looked forward to see...

"Gaara." Hinata breathed. The Kazekage of Suna stood in the doorway leading to the gardens in full Kazekage finery.

Gaara couldn't move, couldn't breathe. The woman in front of him couldn't be Hinata; it had to be an angel. According to the Sand though, this was Hinata. A beautiful Hinata that was his and his alone. Hinata's white kimono set off her light purple hair which hung loose down her back. The older woman, who he recognized as Mai Kuraku from the Konoha Council meetings was wearing dark colors which set off Hinata's light perfectly.

"Gaara." Hinata's breathing his name didn't help matters. He wanted to grab her up and show her that that symbol on his forehead was more than just a symbol. She suddenly ran and jumped into his arms. Sand wrapped around them as he returned the hug, holding her close.

"I was... worried about you, Hinata." He whispered into her hair. "When I heard that you were disowned I wanted to run to that house and destroy everything to protect you."

"I'm alright Gaara." Hinata felt the tears run down her cheeks, staining his robes. "I'm alright now that you're here." Gaara pulled away enough to look at her face.

"Have they hurt you here?" Hinata shook her head.

"No silly. They have treated me so kindly. They don't care that I'm weak. But I'm so happy that you're here. I've missed you." Mai coughed lightly to get their attention. Gaara gave it to her, in the form of his eyes narrowed into slits.

"Well, since you're here, Kazekage-sama, would you like to stay? Hinata if you don't mind, your wing has several spare bedrooms..."

"I'm staying." Gaara replied flatly. Mai's smiled brooded.

"Good. Supper will be served at 7. It's a kimono affair. You know how that is. I'll leave you 2 to whatever it is you want to do." She turned on her heel and left them alone, the door gently gliding shut behind her. Hinata looked up at Gaara who was still holding her possessively.

"Gaara." She called his name gently.

"I thought that they would hurt you." He didn't sound alright, he sounded much like Shukaku.

"Gaara." She called again. She was unafraid of him.

"I would have killed them Hinata. All for you." This was his natural. She understood that.

"Gaara." With that third call she had his attention. And with that she surprised him.

She kissed him.

I know, Gaara's a bit OOC, but who knows? After a while a person changes. There will be more to come. More Gaara, more Hinata, some humor. A better understanding of the Kuraku Clan's fear of the Byakugan. Also more on Sans sa Fe and the guardians so you know where they stand. And I promise, more Gaara/Hinata.

I am taking this time to say, that I will be redoing the Rokudaime Cherry Blossom. Making it better. Trust me. For now, bear with me and review.


	7. Gaara's Supper

**Author:** Silver Star Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Pairings:**

**Main:** Hinata/Gaara

**Past:** Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

**Secondary: **Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

**Rating:** PG-13 (May go higher)

**Timeline:** Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

Gaara listened to Hinata recount the events from the day before. He had led Hinata out the way he had come in, that is thru the gardens. She had held his hand all the way; refusing it seemed to be out of contact with him. Gaara spent most of his time shifting thru the information she was providing with a quietly growing rage that he could only remember being this bad with Shukaku.

"Gaara, the Kuraku have been amazing. They've been so kind and gentle to me."

"Who are they to you though?" He tried to concentrate on what Hinata was saying to distract him from going after her father and beating the hell out of him.

"My mother was a ward of the Clan's Leader's mother. In a sense, Mai and my mother were sisters."

"Why didn't you go to them when the abuse first started?" Hinata met his sea foam green eyes.

"I don't know. It was almost like they were bound or something. Now that I think about it, I have always seen shadows that didn't have a person attached. According to what I can figure out, their bloodline trait has something to do with the dark."

"Hinata, I want you to be safe. I want you to be happy, but I can't help but think that there is something that you're not telling me and it's making you unhappy. Hinata please."

"It's nothing Gaara... you're the Kazekage. I don't want to burden you-" Gaara grabbed her tightly and held her.

"Never call yourself a burden. You can't be one. And I don't care what anyone says, I have a right to care for you."

"Gaara..." Hinata didn't know what to say.

"Tell me Hinata. Tell me what you're hiding." Hinata took a deep breath. Gaara feared the worst.

"There have been several attempts made against my life. I caught several of them, and I was hurt by a lot of them. Neji and my father have caught a few; Hanabi always told me that I never caught them because I was too weak. I was afraid to eat, to drink, to even sleep. When I trained against another Hyuga other than Neji, it seemed like they were trying very hard to kill me. And when Neji went on a mission..."

"You had no one. Not even... me." He felt powerless, like he did when he had first lost Shukaku. Hinata shook her head, sending her long wavy purple hair flying in the wind.

"Not true. You see, you were here in town most of the times that Neji was on a mission. And when you weren't, I ate with Sakura and Ino. Trained with Shino and Kiba. When I needed rest, I knew that I could find places to just rest my head." Hinata pulled out of his embrace and smiled. "We don't have much time before we go to eat supper. Let's just enjoy it." She stopped by a flower, a purple lily and sniffed it. Gaara watched her and smiled. He would find a way to deal with whatever threatened his beloved Hinata. But for now he would enjoy his time with the only woman of his dreams.

Mai smiled as she entered her office. Perched in various locations around her office were ANBU. Actually, 2 wolves, a raven, tiger, crane, and fox. Everyone was showing complete chakra control by being attached to the ceiling and walls.

"So, shall Gaara be joining us for dinner tonight?" Mizuki, the Crane asked. She was sitting on the wall, her head turned as if to look up.

"Yes he will be. Dinner is going to be formal." A collective groan.

"What does Gaara know now?" Yuzuki the Raven asked from the ceiling.

"More I bet than Neji told him or even knew him." Tsukiko, the second Wolf Captain replied from another wall.

"Mother, I have some news for you." Timoko, First Wolf of the ANBU said floating cross-legged on a cloud of darkness. Mai noted that Timoko's arms were starting to decay a bit around the gloves.

"What is it Timoko?"

"I found some records in the ANBU archives that suggest that the Sadaime opened an investigation into Hikaru's death." If Timoko didn't have their attention before, she did now.

"Oh really?"

"Yes. It was hidden from you it appears. It was an open case when Itachi Uchiha became an ANBU. He took the case as his first assignment. Records state that he might have found something out. Before he could act on it or tell anyone the case was closed."

"Let me guess, by the Hyuga." Timoko nodded.

"It seems the Council of Elders leaned very hard on the Sadaime. In Itachi's handwriting I found Yuuma's name more than once or twice. Itachi knows something. He may know who killed her." Mai sat down behind her desk with her brows knitted together. Itachi Uchiha was the finest Konoha ninja, still was if you didn't count that he was a missing-nin and s-ranked killer. _That boy would have made a great Hokage. Damn his father._ Itachi held the secret to her sister's murder. But he was a member of the Akatsuki Organization. To speak to him would label the person who did it a traitor to Konoha. _Or just to her Hokage. Unless..._

"I will see that we found out what Itachi knows." Mai said with a soft hint of finality in her voice. Timoko and the other girls nodded their heads.

"What of Hisa and her bitch daughter Hanabi?" Hazuki the Fox asked from the wall.

"You really shouldn't call Hanabi a bitch." Mai said frowning. "We're supposed to be better than them."

"I understand but the bitch was trying to hurt Hinata."

"No one touches them unless they come to the Compound. Hinata is to never be left alone with them. EVER." Mai looked around the room at her daughters. "As for Hinata..."

"What of Hinata, mother?" Tukiyo the Tiger asked.

"Well for starters we need to start training her in our family's fighting styles. She may not be cursed, but it's her right to learn. I want all of you to work with her. Fighting styles, weapons, medicines, jutsu, traps/assassinations, and spying techniques. Above all, all of you are to help her with her self-esteem. Her father may have been my teammate, but he has beaten that girl so hard that she will have a hard time recovering."

"I'll take fighting." Timoko said getting off her cloud and making it vanish.

"Weapons are mine." Yuzuki said fingering one of her blades.

"I'll take medicines." Tukiyo volunteered.

"Traps and assassinations are my specialty." Tsukiko said with a thoughtful look.

"I'll train her on jutsu." Mizuki said removing her mask.

"I'll teach her to spy." Hazuki said bouncing up and down from her seat on the wall.

"I will teach her to bring statues to life." Mai said pulling out a scroll that she had been working on earlier that morning. "Now why don't you go clean yourselves up for dinner?" Mai shooed all of her daughters out of her office. Timoko looked over her shoulder at her mother, a searching look in her eyes before turning towards her room.

Mai waited for her daughters to be well on their way to their rooms before going to a picture of the current Kuraku family and moving the picture. Hidden behind it was a moving panel. Using some of her dark chakra she removed the genjutsu over the door and opened it. Though she had retired from the ANBU, nearly retired from being a ninja altogether, she retained her title and her mask. No one else would want it. The mask might be cursed or something likes that.

It was the mask of the ANBU snake. The mask that had belonged to Orochimaru himself. She would be the last snake of Konoha, though Anko and Sasuke if he ever came back could give her a run for the money on that title. And really it was a shame. Orochimaru had actually been considered for the position of Hokage when the Sadaime had decided to retire. Good thing they had decided against him. A shame too, he was related distinctly to the Kuraku thru a contract. Of course had wanted the power that was theirs and had tried to kill her to get it. Not only had he lost the mask and her powers, but she had also made sure that he could never reproduce should he have ever wanted to.

At times she had kept tabs on him. Sometimes taking out several of his greatest ninja in very gory fashions just to prove to him that she had not forgotten anything. Then again, Hazuki had melded several of his ninja to trees so that at night around the Sound Village you could hear their screams of pain. You couldn't torture anyone better than making them apart of a tree, a transmutation.

"But that is the past." She laid her mask on the desk. "Finding Itachi and getting everything out of him is my future."

Dinner was an enjoyable event for Gaara. Mai and her daughters prove to have wit and humor, making Hinata laugh. If Hinata was laughing then Gaara was happy. They would ask him questions about Suna, what did he have to trade, how were the medicines. Since Hinata was listening in, Gaara told them what they wanted to know. They didn't want to know anything personal or forbidden; they wanted to know general stuff. Then Mai turned to Hinata.

"Hinata, we would like to train you in our jutsu and fighting styles. I know your mother's Dove jutsu and I would like to train you in them." Mai took a bite of her eel.

"Why is mother called the White Dove?" Hinata asked. Timoko blinked.

"Your father never told you?" Hinata shook her head. Timoko looked at Mai who nodded to her. "Hikaru's father was Moriko's younger brother. In our Clan, only females can lead. It is rare, though not unheard of that a male is born. Ryu married a woman from a civilian Clan. When Hikaru was born it was said that everyone around her was at peace. Indeed when she was on a genin team the ninja that fought against her team were lured in by the waves of peacefulness that she gave off. Because of our bloodline trait, we are considered... uh what a good word to put it, outcasts is. Trust me on this. So Hikaru went to the Councils for us. Anyway, Hikaru had a contract with a special type of dove. A summon. Never seen it, only heard of it. The last time that it was summoned was during the attack of the Nine-tailed Fox."

"You call her the White Dove for those reasons?" Hinata asked. She wished that her father had spoken more of her mother.

"Among other things." Mai said. "Your mother was very gentle and kind." Her eyes glazed for a moment. "Gaara-sama, did you tell your sister you were staying for dinner? She's trying to get thru the statue guardians."

"I didn't tell her, I figured that she'd have thought about that herself." Gaara said standing. Before he could excuse himself Temari came rushing into the room, her fan open.

"Gaara get away from these monsters!" Seven Kuraku females stood up, their face dark at Temari's choice of words. Hinata stood as well.

"Temari you speak of my kinswomen." Hinata snapped. She blinked in surprise as she had never snapped before.

"What is the meaning of this Temari?" Gaara asked wondering how such a good evening could turn bad so quickly.

"I have been speaking to the other Clans; this Clan is a group of monsters. Their bloodline trait makes them into skeletons. Rotting skeletons. That's why no one wants to deal with them. Not even Shukaku is as destructive as them."

"I am sorry, I never thought that I would ever say this," Hazuki said, "I think that it would be best if you were to leave Temari-san. You know nothing of our Clan and you are very insulting."

"I'm not leaving without my brother!" Gaara's sand spiked around on the walls.

"TEMARI! Leave." Gaara ordered. "Temari, I am safe here. These women guard my beloved. These women are not monsters. Temari," He stopped her from saying anymore. "Go away." She left without saying another word, the guards of the Kuraku Clan following her. After Temari left Gaara turned to the women.

"I am sorry." He looked Mai in the eye so that she knew he was sincere.

"It is nothing we have not heard before." Mai said quietly. "We should retire for the night. Good night."

Gaara and Hinata entered her set of rooms side by side. Hinata suddenly got a moment of confusion. Where was Gaara to sleep? What was he to sleep in? What was she to sleep in since she didn't pull her clothes out this morning? She looked at him, blushing.

"I um, I don't know where any other rooms are in this part of the Compound. So I don't know where-"

"Don't worry. I have found that Mai seems to think ahead all the time. I'm sure she's thought of something and I don't want to leave you." If were any more possible, Hinata's blush became redder. The continued into the bedroom when they noticed that sitting on bed were 2 sets of clothes. Hinata picked up one set of clothes. It was a silver yukata lined with black lace. The obi was black silk. Gaara's clothes were actually a pair of black silk pants that were obliviously from Suna.

"It appears that I was right." Gaara said noticing that the couch was set up to be a bed. He then saw that a door which was hidden in the wall was now opened. Sending out a sand trail, he found that it was a bathroom and the tub was drawn with warm water. "Hinata, there is a tub in there. Why don't you go take a bath?" Somehow, Gaara was able to keep from blushing. The thought of Hinata naked... no must not think anything like that. Hinata's been thru more in these past 2 days then most people suffer in their whole lives.

"Bu-ut you are the guest, Gaara. I shouldn't-"

"Don't worry about me. I want you to enjoy yourself. Relax." _I promise not to peek. __** Yeah, right.**_ Gaara could still feel some of Shukaku's emotions, and he knew that he had to keep himself under control.

Hinata nodded and picked up her clothes going in to the room. She could see a screen of silk that was meant to be pulled as so to hide the tub from prying eyes and so used it so as to spare Gaara from torture if he was interested. _My beloved_. He called her. She slid off the kimono marveling at how it moved off her shoulders, before getting into the tub that she found was scented in lavender and rose. She wanted to soak and hope that Gaara would not mind.

Gaara wondered if he had done something wrong. He was Kazekage of Suna. He could not afford to get involved with a Konoha Kunoichi unless it was an alliance. The Hyuga were not going to go into an alliance with him. He was not that stupid. _**Maybe the Kuraku Clan would be willing.**_ Shukaku was supposed to be gone. And yet, sound advice that he would be more than willing to check out. He changed quickly into the clothes that he could sense Mai had left out for him and sat down on the couch, closing his eyes.

He sensed Hinata coming out into the bedroom and made room for her settle against him. She smiled and curled up next to him, using his well muscled shoulder as a pillow. Curling his arms around her, he felt content.

Sometime during the night he found that he had fallen asleep right along with Hinata. The blanket was pulled around the both of them, by someone else.

Author Note: Yeah, even I kinda think its a little rushed. I'm no good when it comes to relationships, since I can't keep one myself. Please be easy on the relationship part. I have no real love for Temari. I don't like Tsunade either. Why would you give the position as leader of your village to a drunk? I've never figured that out.


	8. In the Darkness

**Author:** Silver Star Dragon

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto.

**Pairings:**

**Main:** Hinata/Gaara

**Past:** Hikaru/Hiashi, Mai/Mamoru

**Secondary: **Ino/Shino, Timoko/Genma

**Rating:** PG-13 (May go higher)

**Timeline:** Hinata is nearing her 19th birthday.

White Dove's Legacy

In the deep of the night, everyone in the Hyuga Clan was in bed. Everyone, but one. Hisa had gotten little sleep the night before and was not planning to get any sleep tonight as well. She wanted Hinata dead. Wanted the weak half-breed out of the gene pool. She had heard that the Kazekage Gaara was now involved and she knew that he would not let this go. If only those traps had worked! She had to end the attempts against Hinata because Hiashi was getting wise. She knew that if Hiashi ever found out about all the attempts, about the death already on her hands, she would be dead before anyone could save her.

And what of that damn Kuraku Clan? There were many rumors about that Clan. That they could use the darkness to teleport themselves or see things, or even talk to others-

Hisa gasped as the shadows began to move like some sort of large snake was slithering around. She actives her Byakugan but could find nothing.

_Hisa..._ There was a soft voice in the darkness. Soft, silky, deadly. And yet... There was nothing there.

_Hisa..._ There was nothing there!

_HISA!_ She began to whimper.

"What do you want? Go away!"

_Hisa we know! The __**DARKNESS**__ knows!_ It was like the darkness was closing in on her, suffocating her.

Hisa's screams of terror awoke everyone. Guards burst in to her inner rooms, turning on lights. There was nothing there.

"They are after me! The Kuraku are attacking me!" She screamed at them. All she got was a blank stare. Hiashi came walking calmly into her quarters with Neji and Hanabi on his heels.

"Why would the Kuraku be after you Hisa?" Hiashi's voice was cold as ice.

"Because of your weak willed daughter. Oh we all know how much you wanted her to be strong. You beat her trying to make her stronger and when you couldn't you just gave her back to her mother's bastard Clan. You tainted the line. You wanted that bitch and when you got her, couldn't produce a strong heir! You gave that bastard Clan a piece of our guarded bloodline, pathetic though _**it**_ was, unbranded." Hisa snarled, unaware it seemed of how cold the room had grown. Hiashi's eyes were growing harder and anyone that thought he was weak was wise to think about getting the hell out of that room. "You need to step down Hiashi. Give Hyuga a stronger lead-"

"SILENCE! You got what you wanted Hisa. Me in your bed and a daughter to make you lady of the Hyuga. Now as for the Kuraku, you forget that I was a teammate to the Kuraku, the Kuraku leader herself. I know that she doesn't waste her energies on nothing. So why would the Kuraku be after you?" He walked closer and she walked backwards to get away from him. "If they are after you, what do you know?" Hiashi fairly purred. Hisa said nothing just stood there trembling. Hiashi turned on his heel and left. Everyone followed him out. Hanabi looked over her shoulder at her mother's face before returning to her room.

Hisa remained frozen for only a few more seconds before turning on every light and lighting every candle she could find. There would be no darkness in her rooms ever again.

_Hisa..._

Across Konoha, a woman sat in a circle of candles watching from a patch of darkness as a white-eyed woman attempt to banish the darkness from every corner of her room and laughed softly. She really was only playing; trying to see if she could shake down the deceitful bitch.

"That was rather mean you know." The woman looked up to see a man standing just outside the light. There was enough light for her to see the light bounce off a metal senbon in his mouth.

"Genma! You shouldn't see me like this." Timoko waved her hand, sending the flames away into total darkness. Shouldn't see her half-decayed form that was quickly gaining its flesh.

"Why?" She could hear him coming closer.

"Because I'm a monster, Genma. I don't want you to come to harm from knowing me."

"Knowing you or loving you?"

"..."

"Are you afraid?"

"...yes"

"Of what?"

"Not of what, of whom. You. You have never accepted my attentions... how did you get in here?" In the dark Timoko's eyes narrowed at the senbon user who had stopped a hands breath's away from her. She could feel him grinning.

"Funny thing that. Your Dipper just said 'come on in kid. Wipe your feet.' Damn near got stood on by Mai telling me you were in your room and asked me to tell you that she would be out for awhile. I've been trying to get close to you ever since you were a Chunin." She could hear his voice become clearer, telling her that he had taken his senbon out. "As for your attentions... would you accept mine?"

She felt his lips on hers. Her mind shut down. It didn't restart for several hours.

Itachi Uchiha wondered if killing his Clan was starting to come back and haunt him. No, it had to be the amount of alcohol he had consumed with the help of Kisame, his partner. He had some weird hangover memories. So when he found himself in a darken room, sitting tied to his chair across from a decaying snake headed woman, he figured that this was another hangover from hell.

"This is not a dream." The decaying woman said calmly. She shifted to look at Kisame who was snoring on the bed. "Tell me he doesn't sound that loud all the time."

"Hn."

"I see that you're as talkative as you were when you were younger."

"Who are you?"

"I am Mai Kuraku." The alcohol must be doing a number on him because there was no way that a Kuraku would be speaking to him. They didn't have anything to do with him.

"How did you find me?" She looked down at her body which was continuing to decay.

"My bloodline trait. I just bounced around in the dark until I came across you and your partner drinking. I paid your bar bill, bought medicine for your hangover, and this room. You own me several thousand ryo. But I'm willing to forgive the debt for a bit of information."

"Oh? And what do you want to know?"

"I want to know what you learned about the death of Hikaru Hyuga." Itachi blinked his red eyes at her.

"That's it?" He narrowed his gaze. "That's all?" Drunk as he may have been he tried to summon up the energy to call on the Sharingan.

"Don't be thinking about turning on the Sharingan. Trust me; it won't work because I've broken Sharingan users before. It will only hurt you and annoy me and I just might break them down to nothing but a different eye color in my rage." She wagged her finger at him. "Now I am only here for myself. I am not here with the blessing of the Hokage. I've waited 15 years for answers as to why my sister is dead. You found something out. I know you did because they closed the case." She stood up and leaned into his face. "You _will_ tell me."

"And if I don't?" Itachi sounded amused.

"I will toss you into the darkness during a teleport. You'll never find your way out. You'll never die always hunger and thirst."

"You will never get your information either."

"Wrong. I'll be able to find you. Besides what's the problem telling me? I'm not asking where your hideout is. I don't care about your organization. I want justice for my sister. What did you learn about Hikaru's death?"

"You won't get the justice you want."

"Are you really so sure? Oh I'll get justice. I may have to become a missing-nin, but who cares? My daughters are strong ANBU."

"If I remember, Tsunade blames your Clan for the death of her boyfriend so you're making an enemy of _Konoha's princess_."

"Too late. Tsunade is a drunk. At least we brought the body back so she had it. She left my father out there to rot."

"I am certain that she doesn't see it that way."

"Enough chit-chat. Answer the damn question."

"Hn."

"Itachi..." Mai warned him. He could see a slight glow in the eyes of the mask. Itachi knew when he was at a disadvantage. No amount of alcohol could change that knowledge.

"Very well. This is what I know..." Itachi told Mai everything that he remembered. Which was everything. At some point during the conversation, he noticed that Mai had stopped decaying.

"I see. I see, thank you." She dropped a purse on the table. He could hear the soft clacking of coins. "Here is something for your trouble. The bonds will disappear after I'm gone." The snake-masked woman said softly. She walked towards a shadow and disappeared in it. Several seconds later, Itachi felt his arms loosen up. The room was empty save for a confused and hung-over Sharingan user and a snoring fish/human.

5 days later

Hinata studied the woman standing across the training arena from her. Mizuki was wearing a confused expression on her face as Hinata failed to perform a Kuraku jutsu known as Dark Barrier. They had been trying all morning and were getting nowhere. Mizuki had never yelled at Hinata, never hit her, never did anything negative about Hinata's failure. Neither had any other sister over these past 5 days.

"I don't understand why it doesn't want to work." Mizuki grumbled to herself. "It always works." Mizuki was wearing her black and green jumper as she called it with full ninja boots that had a steel insert in the toe. Her black gloves went up under her arm guards and her hair was tied back in a severe braid. Her hitae-ate was tied on her upper right arm. She had dirt spots on her forehead.

"Maybe I can't." Hinata whispered fearfully. "Maybe my grandfather's blood..."

"No, that's not it." Mizuki said calmly. "The Kuraku gene can never been removed or diluted. Don't ask me about it, I never did pay much attention. I was usually running around getting into trouble."

"Were you in a lot of trouble?" Hinata wiped her forehead on the sleeve of her lavender and silver jumper. She was dressed much the same as Mizuki but her hitae-ate was tied around her waist.

"Oh you have no idea. You see I'm only a few months older than you. I do believe that the only person that has ever dragged me back was Itachi Uchiha, the other ANBU were too slow to catch me. Mother says I was always up to something." Mizuki smiled.

"You mean you knew Itachi Uchiha?"

"You're trying to get out of this jutsu. Not going to work." Mizuki said playfully. "Now let's get back to work." Hinata chuckled.

"Dragon, horse, dog, dragon. Those are the right hand signs right?"

"Yes." Mizuki watched Hinata perform the hand signs and everything.

"Dark Barrier." If it had been true to its form, the Dark Barrier would go up and be like an all against the nearest target. Mizuki should not be able to see Hinata. Yet there Hinata stood. Unguarded...

"Ohh hang on I figured out what's wrong." Mizuki chuckled. "Stupid me. I forgot that Dark Barrier means Dark _Barrier_. Here let me show you." Mizuki pulled a kunai out and threw it at Hinata. Immediately a barrier of darkness flung itself in front of Hinata.

"It worked..." Hinata said wonderingly. She could see a shadowy shield between her and Mizuki. "How come I can still see you?"

"The barrier on my end is dark. I can barely make out your form." Mizuki smiled as the barrier came down. "As well as a barrier to most attacks, it hides your next attack. Would you like to learn another?"

"Yes please!"

Before the two could start on another jutsu, Mitsuaki who had taken it upon herself to serve Hinata as her Lady-in-Waiting came to the edge of the training field. Mitsuaki was the daughter of a civilian Clan who had been abused. Her mother had asked the Third Hokage to place her daughter in a safe place. The Kuraku were considered safe and Mitsuaki found her place there.

"Lady Hinata, Lady Mizuki, Shibi and Shino are here along with Kiba and Akamaru. Also Ino Yamanka, Sakura Haruno... and Naruto Uzumaki." Mitsuaki held no dislike for Naruto, but she didn't like him either. And it wasn't the Nine-tailed Fox. Hinata turned white. Naruto had been her first crush but he could never look beyond Sakura who tried everything to get him to look at Hinata.

"Hinata? Are you alright? Do you want me to send away Naruto?" Mizuki asked her brows knitted together in thought.

"No...no, I can face him." _Gaara..._

"Very well. Why don't you get cleaned up?" Mizuki sniffed herself. "In fact, why don't we? I smell."

"Come Milady; let's get you into something comfortable." Mitsuaki led Hinata to her rooms. She helped Hinata out of her training clothes and into a warm bath. While Hinata cleaned up she picked a rose colored shirt with white capris. She aided Hinata into her clothes. She braided Hinata's hair, putting a flower at the end of the long tail. Hinata found the scent to be peaceful. Like a distant memory of kindness.

"What is this flower? I know it from somewhere."

"It was your mother's favorite. It's called Lily of the Valley." Hinata smiled at Mitsuaki. In these last five days she was learning so much about the mother she could never remember.

"Come on. Let's go meet my team and the others." Hinata said.

Hinata stared at her friends. Shino was standing close to Ino, Kiba and Akamaru were as far from Ino as possible, no doubt with a case of fleas. Sakura smiling at her with Naruto standing beside her. He had a grin on his face, but Hinata could almost sense something dark surrounding him and wasn't the Nine-tailed-Fox.

"Hey Hinata! I got Sasuke back! I brought him back!" Naruto exclaimed. He was jumping around and when he touched Hinata, the Dark Barrier slammed up and pushed Naruto away. He landed a few feet from her.

"Oh, Naruto... sorry I don't know why the Barrier-"

"It's okay" Naruto said rubbing the back of his head. "Hey at least you got a killer family huh? Out from under old man Hyuga. Now you don't have to be a ninja."

"Excuse me?" Yuzuki stood in the doorway. She looked angry. "Why does she not have to be a ninja?"

"Oh come on lady, everyone knows Hinata isn't a fighter. She's weak at jutsu, can't throw a punch-"

"If you'd like your tongue, stop wagging it." Shino said warningly. Naruto stopped talking, but he looked angry.

"Indeed, Naruto. The woman you speak of is my girlfriend." Gaara stood in the doorway with his siblings, both of them right behind him.

"Oh dear... I think everything just went to hell." Yuzuki muttered. Everyone figured out why quickly.

Gaara was pissed.


End file.
